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Contact:
John Emmanuel
Wednesday, February 26, 2003 – The Government of Saint Lucia through the
Office of the National Authorising Officer for the European Development Fund (EDF),
in conjunction with the Saint Lucia Co-operative League will be sensitizing
potential beneficiaries in the south-western belt of the island on the Rural
Credit Facility (RCF).
The Rural Credit Facility has been established to foster entrepreneurial
development, an initiative that will assist in the efforts geared towards rural
transformation. National Authorising Officer Wilfred Pierre says the assistance
package is timely, particularly as the island grapples with the displacement
caused by a down turn in the banana industry. “We provide organizations like the
Co-operative League with technical assistance grants to help these small
enterprises to gather information that will assist them in conducting market
studies, the paying of the legal fees and generally to assist them at accessing
loans via lending institutions like banks for the development of small and
medium term enterprises,” said Pierre.
He explained further that, “the members of these Credit Unions, meaning Laborie,
Choiseul and the National Cooperative Credit Union are basically banana farmers,
their families and workers. These persons have suffered and are facing the
economic shocks because of the shortfalls in the banana industry. They have
truly suffered when one considers the revenue they derive currently from
bananas. In light of that we are providing some of the assistance, safety nets
and other mechanisms under our social development programmes to assist these
persons.”
It is expected that the initiative will also provide greater impetus to the
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry diversification efforts and
Government’s overall thrust towards poverty alleviation. The targeted
communities include Laborie, Saltibus, Choiseul and Soufriere.
A sensitization meeting will take place on February 28, 2003 at the Laborie
Parish Hall. Other sensitization meetings will also be convened in Vieux Fort
and the north of the island
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